Peruvia

Toledo in USA: The Financial Times reports on President Alejandro Toledo's arrival in New York and his meeting with President George W. Bush "to accelerate negotiations on a free trade agreement." FT's interview yesterday with Toledo reveals that the Peruvian government is "aiming to sign the agreement by January" and that "Toledo added that he was personally involved in negotiating the agreement, which he said would go forward regardless of the result of the US presidential election." NOTE: "Mr Toledo wants to use the trade agreement to make Peru less dependent on its gold, silver, copper and natural gas, and to buffer the economy against the price fluctuation of natural resources. His hope is to find a larger market for textiles and farm products such as lemons, asparagus and mangoes." BUT: "This is a daunting task for a country as small as Peru, given competition from China, which is putting pressure on Mexico's larger and long-established textile industry. ... 'We're trying to learn from Mexico's mistakes,' declared Toledo."

Fujimori on BBC: The BBC reports that Alberto Fujimori participated in one of their on-line forums (in Spanish on BBC Mundo) where he declared that "he plans to run for the presidency in 2006." (The UPI follows up on the BBC's story.) Said Fujimori, "the opportunity to return to Peru will come. I have decided to come back to Peru and run in the next general elections in 2006." NOTE: "He declined to reveal how he planned to override the ban on public office."

Newmont's Troubles, cont.: BNAmericas, World Mining Equipment, and Oxfam America (in a press release) review developments with Newmont's Cerro Quilish gold deposit in Cajamarca and report on Thursday's resolution by the Ministry of Energy and Mines "declaring the Cerro Quilish exploration permit issued July 16 this year to be 'without effect'." (See 'Newmont's Troubles' on Sept. 17 and Sept. 18 in Peruvia.) BNAmericas reports that Newmont "supports the Peruvian government's decision to set aside the permit held by its Yanacocha gold mine to explore the Cerro Quilish deposit." According to Newmont spokesperson Doug Hock, "Given the circumstances, it was the right decision. Our focus was on a peaceful solution to the situation." ALSO: "Hock said Yanacocha's legal rights to Cerro Quilish were still in place but that future development would depend on the results of the third party study on the impact Cerro Quilish may have on local water sources." WME notes that Newmont and Peruvian Compañia de Minas Buenaventura "have operated the mine without incident for well over a decade as first gold was poured in 1993." Oxfam states that "Peruvian communities were victorious when Peru's government agreed to in effect, cancel the Denver-based Newmont Mining Corporation's permit for further exploration of Mount Quilish." According to Keith Slack, Oxfam America's Senior Policy Advisor for Extractive Industries, "These events confirm that mining exploration should not happen until trust with local communities has been established and community consent obtained." He added, "We are not opposed to mining investment in Peru. We do support reform of the global mining industry so that it demonstrates greater respect for the human rights of communities affected by mining operations."

Algeria Wants In On Camisea: Reuters reports that Sonatrach, Algeria's state energy group, "wants to join in developing a gas block near Peru's giant Camisea field for export to North America," according to Minister of Energy and Mines Chakib Khelil. NOTE: "Khelil said Algeria, one of the world's leading liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters, was waiting for negotiations to conclude between U.S. energy group Hunt Oil and the Peruvian government on Block 56." NOTE: Sonatrach is a partner in the Camisea project. See Also: Khelil's visit to Peru in 'Camisea Spigot Turned On' in August 7's Peruvia.

Madre de Dios is a 'Hotbed': BNAmericas reports that it is the Madre de Dios department in southern Peru that is the new "exploration hotbed."

LBozzo's Troubles: Variety reports that Peru's district Attorney Martin Retamozzo "formally filed charges against Laura Bozzo on Sept. 14, requesting a seven-year prison sentence and $4.5 million in fines." Bozzo is a "host of U.S. Spanish-lingo web Telemundo's yakker 'Laura'." ALSO: Bozzo rejected the charges. "I have evidence showing that I never received a penny. This entire case is political and I am going to respond politically. I have lost all faith in my country's judicial system." NOTE: "She declared the set of her TV show in Lima's Monitor Studios as her home and has been living there --- and taping her show --- under house arrest for 26 months." See Also: 'LBozzo Accused' in August 24 and 'Peruvia Editorial on LBozzo' in August 9's Peruvia.

Modern Peruvian Slavery: New York Newsday builds on its reporting from July on the 59 Peruvian men, women, and children "who federal authorities say were held in virtual captivity by three of their compatriots" and places it in a national context with current legislation, government programs and advocacy groups. Today's article is headlined: "Modern-day slavery; Peruvian smuggling case puts national spotlight on industry that authorities say exploits immigrants." NOTE: "Their case is one of the largest human trafficking rings uncovered in the United States, according to federal authorities." CITED: Carmen Maquilon (Catholic Charities); and John Miller, director of the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, who said the Peruvian case "is huge." (Only Newsday has done any reporting on this story.) ALSO: "Today, [the Peruvians] are living on their own in houses and apartments on Long Island, adjusting to a new life of freedom." NOTE: Peruvians Mariluz Zavala, her husband José Ibañez, and their daughter, Evelyn Ibañez all still "deny they were operating a trafficking ring." See Also: 'Peruvians Abusing Peruvians' in July 10 and July 6's Peruvia.

LAN Succeeds: The Investor's Business Daily reviews Lan Airlines, a bright star in the troubled airline industry. " It's reeled off four straight quarters of triple-digit earnings growth and double-digit sales growth." NOTE: "The performance of its operations in Peru and Ecuador are key, analysts say, because those countries are a big part of Lan's expansion strategy. [According to Stephen Trent of CitiGroup/Smith Barney], "They are a centerpiece of the company's gradual transformation from simply being a Chilean carrier to being a pan-South American carrier." ALSO: "The more immediate challenge for Lan is how to deal with ongoing conflicts with Peru's government. In June, a judge ordered Lan Peru to stop flying after complaints from local carriers that Lan Peru doesn't meet Peruvian ownership requirements. Aero Continente blames Lan for getting it blacklisted by lobbying officials in Washington, D.C. Lan denies the charge. It also continues to fly in Peru, despite the judge's ruling." See Also: 'AeroContinente Banned' in April 23's Peruvia.

EAyllón On USA Tour: While the Indiana University student newspaper reviews last night's perfromance, the Chicago Sun-Times reviews Eva Ayllón arrival for a concert with an article comparing her to Susana Baca. "We play the same music, but I have a different style. When people see me, they'll understand," said Ayllón. NOTE: Says Ayllón of the early 1990s, "David Byrne went to Peru to search through various labels' archives to select songs from black Peruvians, and that's how I became part of the project" that became The Soul of Black Peru," recalled Ayllón. "But then Byrne came back to Peru to audition artists from [the cd] for his label. He saw all of them, except Ayllón, who was on tour. (The article is titled, 'Not Byrned Up.') ALSO: "I am so popular in Peru, I never had the opportunity to make a more extensive campaign in the United States." On the cajon: "I am happy that they even use it in rock now," she said. "I will be even happier if they realize that it is Peruvian." CITED: Juan Morillo, the disc's co-producer, who was Peru Negro's manager for their tour earlier this year. NOTE: "When she moves to the United States later this year, her fan base should definitely increase. 'I promised that I would never leave Peru, but love won the battle,' she said, laughing. 'So I am moving at age 48, with my two kids, and now I will have more opportunities to present music to rest of the world'." Her husband is "a Peruvian-American Jersey guy." She plays at a Chicago-area Borders at noon today; toight at Park West. Her new album is Eva! Leyenda Peruana. See her tour schedule on her web site.

SBaca and TLibertad on New CD: Putumayo Records announces in a press release their new CD, 'Women of Latin America' which includes Peruvians Susana Baca and Tania Libertad among others. The corresponding tour does not include either artist but you can listen to Baca's Caras Lindas and Libertad's Anda Mareado. Libertad has several concert dates on her web site.

Incas Closed Place Down: Australia's ABC Science Online reports that "Incan pilgrims smashed and burned their own temple, and a tower containing a golden statue of a king, rather than letting them fall into Spanish hands," according to Professors Ian Farrington (Australian National University) and Nohenir Julinho Zapata Rodríguez (National University de San Antonio Abad del Cusco), working in Pambokancha, 30 kilometres from Cusco. "[The Incas] literally closed the placed down. It's the find of a century," said Farrington.

Russians Know Inca Kola: The Moscow Times reports on the rise of 'Russian Cola' with the advertising cola, "Our cola for our people!" NOTE:"Russia is not the first country to take the archetypal American soft drink and give it a vernacular flavoring. Inca Kola became a successful local brand in Peru, and was subsequently bought up by Coca-Cola."

GoalKeeper In GA: Georgia State University reports that Paulo Gutierrez, a sophomore from Peru, and the Georgia State goalkeeper "was named Atlantic Sun Defensive Player-of-the-Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday."

Terrorism in Music: Texas station KXAN interviews musician Sam Baker who recounts (and sings) of a trip he made to Peru in 1986. Baker says: "In '86 I was on a train and the train was, the car, the passenger car that I was in was blown up by, by terrorists, by, that's called the Shining Path in Peru, in Cuzco. And the people I sat with, it was a German boy and his mother and father, they all three were killed as were seven, six others. And I think several others died after that." Baker sings: "Sittin' on the train to Machu Picchu, passenger car explodes; there's not enough time to say good-bye; there's not enough time to know what's gone wrong. God have mercy, I believe my heart has failed; smoke rises through a hole in the roof; the dead say, 'Fare thee well.'"